Fuerzas políticas, gubernamentales, y legales (P)

The themes listed below were identified from the analysis of data collected:

• Ineffectiveness of learner’s code of conduct to school management for purposes of curbing ill discipline

• School governing body’s perception regarding their role in the adoption of the learner’s code of conduct

• Parental involvement in school governance • Knowledge of departmental policies

53 5.4 RESEARCH FINDINGS DISCUSSION

5.4.1 Ineffectiveness of learner’s code of conduct to management for purposes of curbing ill discipline

From the data that was analysed, it can be concluded that management was failing to curb ill discipline in the school. They were not in a position to use the code of conduct to their advantage, should they not receive assistance from other stakeholders like the Representative of Council of Learners, the general teaching staff or volunteering parents patrolling the school premises, the culture of teaching and learning would severely got affected. Learners that continue bunking classes should be brought to book. The participants further indicated disunity between school management and school governing body, and this needed to be resolved as a matter of urgency.

5.4.2 School governing body’s perception regarding their roles in the adoption of the learner’s code of conduct

School governing body members did not know their clear roles in relation to the adoption of the code of conduct – they lacked the capacity regarding their roles and duties, therefore the education department needed to come in and organised

workshops, train and give capacity. Incompetent school governing body may render the school ungovernable thus capacity building was very eminent.

5.4.3 Parental involvement in school governance

Parental involvement was a huge hindrance regarding the governance of the school. Although some parents would come to the school when invited they had little or no knowledge of the school functioning and governance. The school has a duty to educate its community about school related matters; school has to be centres’ of information.

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There was lack of parental support. Participants indicated that parents felt that the department has let them down in abolishing corporal punishment, some parents were still in favour of beating ill disciplined learners. Educators were becoming frustrated about learners not willing to submit school work and to learn.

5.4.4 Knowledge of department policies

The research study indicated that there was lack of knowledge of departmental policies by school authorities. A terminology like, prefects was a language still spoken in the premises of the school. The research further shown that school authorities were not clear about issues of learner expulsion. Submissions made by some participants indicated that learner expulsion in case of serious offences was a school governing body’s prerogative. Capacity building was therefore needed as a matter of urgency. It appeared that not all learners were in possession of the copies of code of conduct and such actions would disable learner’s knowledge of the school conduct.

5.5 RECOMMENDATIONS

1

The learner’s code of conduct is a very important tool that when efficiently and

effectively implemented schools can become centres of good behaviour where teaching and learning is enjoyed by all involved. The researcher therefore recommends that school management be supported in curbing ill discipline in the school. Structures like Representative Council of Learners ought to be actively involved in bringing about order in the school. School management has to set up a timetable for school monitoring, teachers with free periods may be included in the timetable so that they may do some monitoring as teaching and learning progresses. Period registers must be introduced to deal with learners bunking classes.

School management must ensure that educators prepare when going to class, some disruptions that lead to learners bunking classes may be the results of educators’

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unpreparedness when going to classes. The school governing body members should be part of all decisions taken in the school so as to avoid complaints and disunity. There ought to be unity between management and school governing body.

2

The researcher suggest that stakeholders in partnership with education and the

education department itself organise weekends workshop and training sessions in order to give capacity to school governing body members about their specific functions and roles and on issues of code of conduct. During school parents meetings, parents should be advised to support their children and assist them in doing school related work and homework.

3

Schools should introduce attendance register during parents meetings, and a follow-up be made to parents who did not attend to find reasons of their absence and at the same time encouraging them to support all initiatives that the school brings. In case of parents not attending meetings because of serious engagements, the school must introduce News Letters so as to update them. Management should further introduce an SMS programme where parents who did not attend meetings can be updated as well, and for dispatching school information and important announcements. During parents meetings legal expects are to be invited to give assistance on legal issues pertaining corporal punishment. Parents are to be aware of the dangers of beating children. Parents are to be encouraged to be partners in the education of their children.

4

The researcher recommends that school management should update themselves with department policy handbooks; they should visit the Education Department Website so as to find the latest information on policy changes and current updates of the

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department. School principals should be the source of information and give proper advises to school governing bodies.

5

In case of learners committing serious offences and there are possibilities of learner expulsion, the principal should refer such matters to the Head of Department. Each learner in the school must have a copy of the learner’s code of conduct. Learners who are admitted in the middle of the year should be given a copy of the code of conduct. The Teacher Liaison Officer in the school should provide a term programme where learners will receive workshops on the code of conduct. The Representative Council of Learners should at student meetings have slots where the code of conduct is

discussed. At home parents should talk about the code of conduct and help their children to understand it.